9-Run 8th Inning Helps Munetaka Murakami, Japan Handle Czech Republic in WBC

Defending champion Japan defeated the Czech Republic 9-0 on Tuesday in the final World Baseball Classic Pool C game at the Tokyo Dome. Despite the score, it wasn’t easy for Japan, which finished 4-0 in pool play. The Czechs, the 2025 European championship bronze medalists, finished 0-4. Japan, held scoreless through seven innings, broke through with nine in the eighth. Teruaki Sato scored on a double by Kenya Wakatsuki and a throwing error by Czech right fielder William Escala. Ukyo Shuto added a three-run homer and Munetaka Murakami capped the inning with a grand slam. Czech pitching did the job most of the night as Japan rested Shohei Ohtani to prepare for the quarterfinals in the United States. Czech starter Ondrej Satoria — pronounced “Andre” — kept Japan scoreless in 4 2/3 innings and very uncomfortable with his soft stuff, almost all in the 68-75 mph range. His fastball barely touches 80. He scattered six hits and struck out three on 67 pitches. His replacement, Michael Kovala, kept Japan scoreless in the seventh but stumbled in the eighth and picked up the loss. The win went to Yumeto Kanemaru. Satoria is famous in Japan. He struck out Shohei Ohtani on three pitches in the 2023 World Baseball Classic in Tokyo but missed Ohtani this time. Japan had already clinched a berth in the quarterfinal, so Ohtani was rested and missed facing Satoria. “I’m sad,” Satoria said before the game, knowing Ohtani was out of the lineup. “I think a lot of fans are sad, too. Maybe he’s resting for the long trip to Miami.” All of the Czech players have day jobs. Satoria, who is retiring from the national team, is an electrician and manager Pavel Chadim — that’s Dr. Chadim — is a neurologist. Chadim wore the 2025 European championship bronze medal to an interview session to make his point. “I have this medal because I want to show to some people in the world that we are not baseball tourists,” Chadim said. “We are doing baseball as professionals. We don’t want excuses. We play as professionals on the field.” That worked for seven innings. Reporting by The Associated Press.